Impact actuated underwater gun

ABSTRACT

An underwater impact actuated gun comprising a pole member used as a handle for thrusting against a fish to be shot and having a comparatively short gun barrel at the striking end. A weighted firing pin slidably arranged behind the cartridge by a compression spring is carried forward by its momentum upon striking a fish with the muzzle of the gun to fire the cartridge. The barrel is slightly tapered just in front of the cartridge slug, convergently in the direction of the muzzle end, to effect deformation of the slug to a diameter less than its original diameter, thereby minimizing blow-by to appreciably increase breech pressure and heat for more efficient burning of the explosive. The barrel is peripherally vented at its muzzle end in such a way as to permit escape of the water in the barrel, thereby minimizing its retardation of the slug as it is projected, while at the same time providing reactive forces minimizing recoil.

Unite States Patent Mounier IMPACT ACTUATED UNDERWATER GUN [72] Inventor: Bruce Mounier, 9321 SW. 80th Terrace,

Miami, Fla. 33147 [22] Filed: Apr. 2, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 25,198

[52] U.S. Cl ..42/1 L [51] Int. Cl. ..F4lc 17/00, F410 21/00 [58] Field of Search ..42/1 L, 70 F, 76 R, 79, 25 R, 42/1 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,300,888 1/1967 Belcher et a1. ..42/1 L 3,371,441 3/1968 Walther ...42/70 F 1,944,883 1/1934 Gerlich ..42/76 3,01 1,404 12/1961 Russell 42/76 1,636,357 7/1927 Cutts, Jr. .42/79 2,742,821 4/1956 Sweetman 42/76 2,842,024 7/1958 Mutter ..42/76 3,145,494 8/1964 Willcox et al. ..42/1 L 3,210,877 10/1965 Liberatore ..42/1 L Primary Examiner-Samuel Feinberg Assistant Examiner-C. T. Jordan AttorneyErnest H. Schmidt ABSTRACT An underwater impact actuated gun comprising a pole member used as a handle for thrusting against a fish to be shot and having a comparatively short gun barrel at the striking end. A weighted firing pin slidably arranged behind the cartridge by a compression spring is carried forward by its momentum upon striking a fish with the muzzle of the gun to fire the cartridge. The barrel is slightly tapered just in front of the cartridge slug, convergently in the direction of the muzzle end, to effect deformation of the slug to a diameter less than its original diameter, thereby minimizing blow-by to appreciably increase breech pressure and heat for more efficient burning of the explosive. The barrel is peripherally vented at its muzzle end in such a way as to permit escape of the water in the barrel, thereby minimizing its retardation of the slug as it is projected, while at the same time providing reactive forces minimizing recoil.

5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures IMPAT ACTUATED UNDERWATER GUN This invention relates to firearms and is directed particularly to an impact actuated gun for underwater use in killing large fish and sharks.

Impact actuated guns for use in underwater killing or disabling large fish are known. Such guns as have heretofore been devised, however, are deficient in various respects, principally in that the back pressure of water in the barrel greatly attenuated bullet or slug velocity, thereby correspondingly decreasing destructive effect. Such attempts as have been made to overcome the attenuating efiect of water in the gun barrel, as by sealing off the ends of the bore with expandable plugs and the like to prevent the entrance of water, have proven not only to be complicated but limited in striking power.

It is, accordingly, the principal object of this invention to provide an improved impact actuated gun for underwater use wherein high muzzle velocity of the slug is maintained despite the pack pressure of water in the gun barrel.

A more particular object is to provide an underwater gun of the character described wherein high bullet velocity is attained by the use of a convergently tapered bore portion extending forwardly in front of the cartridge and of such decreasing diameter with respect to the lead slug or bullet as will cause it to be deformed to the shape of the bore in its outward passage. The deformation thus effected seals off the explosive gases behind the slug during that part of the explosion cycle when they are expanding most rapidly, thereby substantially eliminating blow-by to achieve maximum propelling effect. The extraordinarily high propulsive force acting on the slug due to the resultant high breech pressures, effects heretofore unattained slug muzzle velocity for a given caliber car tridge in a short length barrel. The venting at the muzzle end of the barrel permits such rapid displacement of barrel water as renders it insignificant in its retarding effect upon the high velocity slug.

Another object of the invention is to provide an underwater gun of the above nature including improved means for venting discharged gases at the muzzle whereby maximum blasting effect at the entrance side of the slug is achieved for enhancing the destructive effect produced by the firing of the cartridge.

Still another object is to provide an underwater gun of the character described including an improved safety lock, the locking and unlocking positions of which can readily be determined by touch for safe operation when visibility is obscured, such as when using the device in murky waters.

Another object is to provide an underwater impact actuated gun which will be simple in structure, economical to manufacture, safe and dependable in operation, and durable in use.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description when read with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a side view, with portions broken away, of an underwater gun embodying the invention;

FIG. 21 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of the front portion of the gun illustrated in FIG. 1, taken along the line -211 thereof and showing mechanical details of the operating mechanism;

FIG. 2b is a longitudinal cross-sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of the central portion of the gun illustrated in F IG. 1, taken along the line 2b2b thereof;

FIG. 3 is transverse cross-sectional view taken on the line 33 of FIG. 2a in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 4 illustrates, in longitudinal cross-section, a modified form of gun barrel.

Referring now in detail to the drawing and considering first the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2a, and 2b, said invention comprises, generally, a pole assembly 10, a breech assembly 11, a barrel 12, a firing pin rod 13, and a firing pin retainer spring 14. The pole assembly 10, which is preferably fabricated of aluminum tubing, has secured therein, approximately midway along its length, a slender firing pin rod retainer member 15, said retainer member being formed with a pair of longitudinally-spaced, peripheral grooves 16 of arcuate cross-sectional shape. The firing pin rod retainer member 15 is secured in place within the pole assembly 10 by rolling peripheral zones of the tubular pole into the annular grooves 16, as indicated at 17. The forward end of the firing pin rod retainer member 15 is formed with a concen tric blind bore 18 within which the rearward end of the firing pin rod 13 is guidingly received for the purpose hereinbelow described. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the outer periphery of the pole assembly 10 is provided with knurled gripping surface portions 19 and 20 near the front the rear ends, respectively, thereof.

The breech assembly 11, preferably of hardened steel, is substantially cylindrical in shape and of slightly greater external diameter at the rear end thereof as that of the pole assembly 10. The breech assembly body member 21 is formed at its rear end with a reduced-diameter, externally-threaded portion 22 threadingly receivable within the intemally-threaded front end 23 of the pole assembly 10. The front end of the breech assembly body member 21 is provided with an internally-threaded concentric bore 24 extending to a flat, transverse bottom wall or anvil surface 25 adapted to receive seated thereagainst the shell end of the cartridge C, as hereinafter more particularly described.

The rear end of the breech assembly body member 21 is formed with a concentric firing pin rod guide bore 26 which extends short of the above-described bottom wall or anvil 25 to define therebetween a central body member zone transversely drilled as indicated at 27. Said central body member zone is also drilled to provide an axially-extending, through opening 28 for the purpose hereinafter described. Slidably received in the transversely-drilled opening 27 is a safety lock slide pin 29 movable between locking and unlocking positions, the locked position being illustrated in FIG. 2a. To this end, the safety lock slide pin 29 is formed near one end with a pair of laterally-spaced, first and second detent recesses 30, 31, respectively, As further illustrated in FIG. 2a., the breech as sembly body member 21, in the rear end portion thereof, is provided with an axially-extending bore 32 opening into the transverse opening 27 to communicate with the detent recesses 30 and 31. A rounded-end detent pin 33 slidably disposed within the axial bore 32 and adapted to be received, selectively, within one or the other of the first and second detent recesses 30, 31 is yieldingly pressed in place by a helical compression spring 34 constrained in place by means of a retainer stud screw 35 threadingly-received within the outer end of the axial bore 32. It will be understood that the abovedescribed detent mechanism serves to retain the safety lock slide pin 29 in one of two positions, selectively, the first or locked position being illustrated in FIG. 2a. In this position, a substantially conical recess 36 in the safety lock slide pin 29 is in coaxial alignment with the rear end portion of the axial through-opening 28 in the breech assembly body member 21. The recess 36 serves as abutment seat for the firing pin portion of the firing pin road 13 as is hereinafter more particularly described.

When moved to its second or unlocked position, whereat the detent pin 33 will be seated in the second detent recess 31, a through, transverse opening 37 in the safety lock slide pin 29 will be in register or coaxial alignment with the axial throughopening 28 of the breech assembly body member 21 to permit through passage of the integral, forwardly-extending firing pin portion 38 of the firing pin rod 13, as is hereinafter more particularly described. As illustrated in FIG. 2a, the firing rod 13 is normally held in the withdrawn position with respect to the axial opening in the breech assembly body member 21 by means of the firing pin retainer spring 14, said spring being constrained between the inner end of said breech assembly body member and a transverse retainer pin 39 fitted within a transverse bore in the firing pin rod 13.

In order to constrain the safety lock slide pin 29 against rotary movement in its associated transverse opening 27 of the breech assembly body member 21, the zone between the detent recesses and 31 is recessed to receive the detent pin 33 partially extended therein during movement between locking and unlocking positions as described above. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2a, opposed side portions of the breech assembly body member 21 surrounding the ends of the transverse drilled opening 27 thereof are provided with arcuate concavities 40, 41 to facilitate manual setting of the safety lock slide pin 29 while at the same time protecting the ends of said slide pin from being accidentally contacted and moved. In order that the locked position may readily be detected by touch, the outwardly-projecting end of the safety lock slide pin 29 when in the locked position is preferably chamfered or beveled, as indicated at 42. In addition, to facilitate visual observation as to the setting of the safety lock side pin 29, the ends thereof will preferably be color coded, such as by providing a flush, green-colored insert at the chamfered end thereof and a flush red-colored insert at the opposite end thereof. With such color coding, it will be understood that pressing inwardly upon the red coded end serves to safety lock the gun, whereas pressing inwardly upon the green coded end, if in the locked position, will unlock the gun and place it in readiness for firing, as is hereinafter more particularly described.

The barrel 12, which is preferably of strong steel, is formed with an externally-threaded inner end portion 43 of such size and thread configuration as to be threadingly received within the internally-threaded concentric bore 24 of the breech assembly body member 21. As illustrated in FIG. 2a, the external threads 43 of the barrel 12 and the cooperative internal threads 24 of the breech assembly body member 21 are substantially saw-tooth in cross-sectional shape, with the flat sides of the teeth facing outwardly in the direction of the nuzzle to enhance the tensile strength of the barrel-to-breech assembly by buttress action. The inner end of the barrel 12 is beveled, as indicated at 44 in FIG. 2a for the purpose here and after appearing. The inner end of the barrel 12 is provided with a cartridge bore 45 of such size as to slidingly receive therein the full length of a. cartridge C. The inner end of the cartridge bore 45 merges with an outwardly-converging, tapered bore 46 extending through the front or muzzle end of the barrel.

FIG. 4 illustrates, in longitudinal cross-section, a modified form of barrel, designated 12a, wherein the cartridge bore 47, equivalent to the cartridge bore 45 of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2a, merges at its inner end with a comparatively short, outwardly-converging, tapered bore portion 48 which, at its outer end, joins a comparatively long, constant-diameter barrel bore 49. The barrel bore 49 extends just short of the front or muzzle end of the barrel, whereat it communicates with an expansion chamber bore 50, of slightly increased diameter. The outer end of the expansion chamber bore 50 opens into a short, increased-diameter bore portion 51 the outer end of which is chamfered, as indicated at 52 to provide a circular knife edge 53 at the tip of the muzzle. The peripheral wall of the increased-diameter bore portion 51 is drilled to provide a plurality of equi-distantly-spaced gas discharge openings or vents 54, for example, four vents, said vent openings being drilled at an angle so as to direct the discharge gases to the rear.

In using the underwater gun, the safety lock slide pin 29 will first be moved from its first or locked position, as illustrated in FIG. 2a, to its unlocked or second position, whereat the transverse through opening 37 will be in register or coaxial alignment with the through opening 28 of the breech assembly body member 21 to permit through passage of the integral, forwardly-extending firing pin portion 38 of the first pin rod 13. In this connection it is to be noted that the position of the safety lock slide pin 29 can readily be determined by touch, as hereinabove described, so that its proper actuation under water even under poor visibility conditions and under emergency situations can readily be effected with assurance. In this position, i.e. with the safety lock slide pin 29 in the unlocked position, the gun can be fired by thrusting it so that the muzzle end strikes against the body of the fish, preferably near the vital organs, with such force that the momentum of the firing pin rod 13 will carry it forwardly into the pin rod guide bore 26 so that its forwardly-extending firing pin 38 passes through the axial opening 28 and now co-aligned through opening 37 in the safety lock slide pin 29, to impinge with the firing end tip against the central detonating element of the cartridge C. The circular knife edge at the muzzle end of the barrel serves to cut into the fish and thereby minimize the possibility of slippage in case of a glancing blow.

A salient feature of my invention resides in the convergingly-tapered bore 46 of the barrel 12 extending forwardly of the lead slug of the cartridge C, wherein, upon explosion of the shell, the slug will necessarily be deformed to the lesser diameter at the outer end of the tapered bore under the tremendously high propelling pressures of the burning gases. The above-described deformation of the cartridge slug prevents escape of the expanding gases around the front of the slug during the first portion of the explosion cycle, when temperatures and pressures are at their highest values. Because the bullet or slug is restrained by the barrel bore taper and thereby deformed into close-fitting engagement within the bore, the explosive action is confined. As a result, the explosive process takes place much more efiiciently and rapidly under extremely high breech pressure and heat power; and the explosive is more completely burned. Once explosive action reaches high enough breech pressure, the slug is extruded or deformed in its passage through the barrel to achieve extraordinary high velocity.

As illustrated in FIG. 2a, the angle with which the inner end of the barrel 12 meets the underside of the shell flange of the cartridge C, because of the bevel 44, permits insertion of the thumb nail, a knife edge or the like thereunder to facilitate removal of a shell after firing the gun.

FIG. 4 illustrates a modified form of gun barrel wherein a comparatively short convergingly-tapered bore portion 48 is utilized just forward of the cartridge slug. The sealing effect of the bore 48 with respect to the deformed slug in its outward passage upon firing is substantially the same as is achieved in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2a, described above. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, upon the slug reaching the short expansion bore chamber 50 near the front end of the barrel 12a, the explosive gases following the slug will begin to radiate outwardly, after which, upon reaching the increaseddiameter bore portion 51, they will vent partially through the peripheral vent apertures 54. The greater part of the expanding gases, however, will blast outwardly in an expansive fashion just forwardly of the front of the gun barrel 12a, i.e. at the muzzle, resulting in a large-diameter opening in the fish. The destructive effect of the explosively-expanding gases at the entrance site of the slug has been found to be of utmost importance in the overall lethal effect of the gun.

While I have illustrated and described herein only two forms in which the invention can conveniently be embodied in practice, it is to be understood that these forms are presented by way of example only and not in a limiting sense. The invention, in brief, comprises all the embodiments and modifications coming within the scope and spirit of the following claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An impact actuated underwater gun comprising, in combination, a breech member, a tubular pole member removably attached at one end to one end of said breech member, an elongated firing pin rod disposed within said pole member, an axial pin rod guide bore in said one end of said breech member for slidingly supporting the forward end of said firing pin rod, means in said pole member for slidingly retaining the rearward end of said firing pin rod, the other end of said breech member providing at its inner end an anvil surface for seating the firing end of a cartridge having a peripheral flange, a tubular gun barrel having a through bore, means for removably attaching one end of said barrel coaxially with respect to the other end of said breech member, a coaxial firing pin opening communicating between the inner end of said pin rod guide bore and said anvil surface, said through bore opening at said one end of said barrel being such as to slidingly receive a cartridge to be fired, a firing pin extending forwardly coaxially at said forward end of said firing pin rod and of such size as to be receivable through said firing pin opening, resilient means normally constraining said firing pin rod in the rearward direction so that its firing pin is withdrawn with respect to said firing pin opening, safety lock means in said breech member movable between locking and unlocking positions and operative, when in locking position, to prevent the passage of said firing pin through said firing pin opening, said barrel bore comprising a tapered bore portion extending convergently in the direction of the other end of said barrel, said tapered bore portion defining a bore opening along said barrel of decreasingly smaller diameter than the diameter of the slug of a cartridge fitted in the said through bore opening at said one end of said barrel, said means for slidingly retaining the rearward end of said firing pin rod comprising a cylindrical retainer member having a blind coaxial bore in its forward end within which the rearward end of said firing pin rod is received, and means for securing said retainer member in fixed position within said tubular pole member, said retainer member fixing means comprising a peripheral groove in said retainer member within which a peripheral annular portion of said pole member is rolled,

2. An impact actuated underwater gun as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for removably attaching said barrel comprises an intemally-threaded bore in said breech member and mating external threads about said one end of said barrel, said threads being of saw-tooth cross-sectional configuration for enhanced tensile strength between said breech member and said barrel.

3. An impact actuated underwater gun as defined in claim 2, wherein said one end of said barrel is annularly beveled to permit the insertion of the thumb nail under the flange of a spent cartridge shell in said through bore opening at said one end of said barrel bore to facilitate its removal.

4. An impact actuated underwater gun as defined in claim 1, wherein said safety lock means comprises a transverse bore in said breech member, a safetytlock slide pin slidingly disposed within said transverse bore, and a detent mechanism selectively maintaining said slide pin in locking or unlocking position, said slide pin comprising a transverse through opening so placed as to be in alignment with said firing pin opening when said slide pin is in the unlocked position.

5. An impact actuated underwater gun as defined in claim 4, wherein the outer ends of said slide pin are of mutually different shape to permit distinction by touch. 

1. An impact actuated underwater gun comprising, in combination, a breech member, a tubular pole member removably attached at one end to one end of said breech member, an elongated firing pin rod disposed within said pole member, an axial pin rod guide bore in said one end of said breech member for slidingly supporting the forward end of said firing pin rod, means in said pole member for slidingly retaining the rearward end of said firing pin rod, the other end of said breech member providing at its inner end an anvil surface for seating the firing end of a cartridge having a peripheral flange, a tubular gun barrel having a through bore, means for removably attaching one end of said barrel coaxially with respect to the other end of said breech member, a coaxial firing pin opening communicating between the inner end of said pin rod guide bore and said anvil surface, said through bore opening at said one end of said barrel being such as to slidingly receive a cartridge to be fired, a firing pin extending forwardly coaxially at said forward end of said firing pin rod and of such size as to be receivable through said firing pin opening, resilient means normally constraining said firing pin rod in the rearward direction so that its firing pin is withdrawn with respect to said firing pin opening, safety lock means in said breech member movable between locking and unlocking positions and operative, when in locking position, to prevent the passage of said firing pin through said firing pin opening, said barrel bore comprising a tapered bore portion extending convergently in the direction of the other end of said barrel, said tapered bore portion defining a bore opening along said barrel of decreasingly smaller diameter than the diameter of the slug of a cartridge fitted in the said through bore opening at said one end of said barrel, said means For slidingly retaining the rearward end of said firing pin rod comprising a cylindrical retainer member having a blind coaxial bore in its forward end within which the rearward end of said firing pin rod is received, and means for securing said retainer member in fixed position within said tubular pole member, said retainer member fixing means comprising a peripheral groove in said retainer member within which a peripheral annular portion of said pole member is rolled.
 2. An impact actuated underwater gun as defined in claim 1, wherein said means for removably attaching said barrel comprises an internally-threaded bore in said breech member and mating external threads about said one end of said barrel, said threads being of saw-tooth cross-sectional configuration for enhanced tensile strength between said breech member and said barrel.
 3. An impact actuated underwater gun as defined in claim 2, wherein said one end of said barrel is annularly beveled to permit the insertion of the thumb nail under the flange of a spent cartridge shell in said through bore opening at said one end of said barrel bore to facilitate its removal.
 4. An impact actuated underwater gun as defined in claim 1, wherein said safety lock means comprises a transverse bore in said breech member, a safety lock slide pin slidingly disposed within said transverse bore, and a detent mechanism selectively maintaining said slide pin in locking or unlocking position, said slide pin comprising a transverse through opening so placed as to be in alignment with said firing pin opening when said slide pin is in the unlocked position.
 5. An impact actuated underwater gun as defined in claim 4, wherein the outer ends of said slide pin are of mutually different shape to permit distinction by touch. 